Child porn charges dropped against Clarke’s Beach man

One of two men from this province who were arrested in connection with an international child pornography bust has had the charges dropped against him.

Paul Harvey Perham of Clarke’s Beach had charges of accessing child pornography and possessing child pornography withdrawn by the Crown this week when the case was called in provincial court in Harbour Grace.

Prosecutor Dana Sullivan said it was because “there was no reasonable likelihood of conviction.”

Perham — who is represented by St. John’s defence lawyer Bob Buckingham — had been picked up by members of the RNC Child Exploitation Unit on a warrant.

He had been located in Toronto with the assistance of the RCMP National Child Exploitation investigators and returned to this province.

The 43-year-old, who was arrested Feb. 28, had been released from custody with conditions following his first court appearance.

The second man charged — Bernard White of St. John’s — pleaded not guilty to his charges Friday when his case was called in provincial court in St. John’s.

White, who is represented by Rosellen Sullivan, has a two-day trial set for July 24-25.

White is charged with accessing child pornography and possessing child pornography. The 68-year-old first appeared in court in late June and was released on bail shortly afterwards.

White and Perham were arrested as part of Project Spade.

According to The Canadian Press, almost 400 children were rescued from exploitation and hundreds of suspects were arrested in an investigation that began in Toronto.